I'm joining 2 boards, butt to butt. Dowels? Domino's? Biscuits?

[dirk martin]

My brother wants a book case.
I've got the wood, and machinery.
He does not live near me.
So, I'll be milling the wood, and mailing it to him.
And my question is....

He wants 9 foot sides, so I'll be milling 4.5 foot long boards for the sides, whereupon he'd butt joint two, to get 9 feet.

To ease his assembly, I was thinking of different joinery solutions for these butt joints.
How about I drill holes and include dowels for him?
Or, would Festool's domino's be better?

I'm thinking all he'd then need to do, is spread some glue, and slide them together, letting them cure overnight.

Does that sound like a good plan?

[Peter Keen]

Without knowing what deisign you are thinking of, it is hard to advise. If you are thinking of having a straight up and down bookcase, same width from top to bottom, with boards running between the sides, and no additional support for the joint, whatever you do, it will be a relatively weak joint. Books weigh a tremendous amount...and that is one big bookcase.

Have you considered making parts for a stackable bookcase - essentially two bookcases, one on top of the other, like a chest on chest? Or perhaps Monticello's stacking bookcases. Here's a link. http://www.popularwoodworking.com/articleindex/monticello%E2%80%99s-stacking-bookcases.

[Mike Henderson]

If you have to make a joint, use a lap joint. Stackable bookcases are another good solution.

Mike

[Dominic Carpenter]

I would go the stacked route. I would have very little confidence in a but joint. It will also give you and opportunity to be a little creative with the trim design.

[Thomas Canfield]

Stacking does sound like a better solution. Think about moving and use later if you should not have 10' ceilings.

[Keith Hankins]

Several ways, but it will be weak. You could use a glue joint bit. I'd do a frame-n-panel, and do rail at the mid point. How you doing the rest of the carcass? A lot could depend on the design.